The Lego Batman Movie - Lorne Balfe

2/4/17​

What You Will Hear: An eclectic mix: electric guitar, organ, choir and orchestra, drum loop action, big brass adventure, screechy villain vocals, and a few tender/playful moments to even things out. Oh, and some Bach.

The album this makes me want to dust off: Any of the Kung Fu Panda series – Hans Zimmer & John Powell​Will I come back to it? Yes. The Lego Batman Movie is a solid entry into the animated comedy/adventure genre. Some of the best scores in the past 20 years have come from this family of movies. While this one isn’t up there with Dragons, Megamind, Kung Fu Panda, etc., it is certainly an awesome ride. My only complaint is the lack of a strong central theme. However, Balfe gives us a fun collection of short character motifs. A heroic ascending four note cell, and (presumably) the Joker’s nasally vocals and comedic organ are most memorable. There is also a descending chromatic action melody, and the Phantom Zone vocals might be the most perfect “on the nose” theme ever. I also enjoyed the references to previous Batman iterations. The 60’s Batman theme is clearly used from time to time (see: No Seat Belts Required & Battle Royale), and there are also some not so obvious (and possibly completely in my mind) nods to Elfman, Walker, Zimmer, and JNH. Lorne Balfe will make you feel like every Batman from Adam West to Ben Affleck, all with the Lego version’s over the top personalities. The Lego Batman Movie is the first score of 2017 that just loves having fun.